This restroom facility harnesses green technology to promote sustainability. This unconventional facility features a composting toilet system and gray water garden which bypasses the city sewer system. Our system spares the typical pollution and saves water compared to the conventional flushing system. Not only does the facility expertly handle waste, the design creatively reuses it: hand-washing water is recycled into an irrigation system for the surrounding landscape. Although efficient, the facility is far from utilitarian: elegant, exposed wood rafters and generous skylights span the width of the rooms to maximize daylight. The natural colors and materials of the eco-restroom nestle into the surrounding vegetation. Attuned to the global necessity of environmental sustainability, the building also functions as a teaching tool to educate the Bronx Zoo’s younger visitors.

Client: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
Agency: WCS.
Program: Educational restroom facility for the main entrance to the Bronx Zoo.
Size: 2,300 SF (1 floor, cellar)
Team: Structural Engineering: Dunne & Markis Consulting Structural Engineers. Mechanical: P.A. Collins. Civil: Leonard J. Strandberg and Associates. General Contractor: Summit Construction Services Group.
Photography: David Sundberg / ESTO.
Awards: Best Environmental Project, New York Construction Magazine, 2007.